Scorecard

Silver Lining

Some may rue the cancellation of 468 games, but we prefer to look on the bright side of the NHL lockout, which was settled last week (page 36). Herewith, 10 reasons it wasn't such a bad thing:

1) It has turned the regular season into something meaningful.

2) NHL Pooh-Bahs finally figured out what to do with pro sports' worst midseason All-Star Game: cancel it.

3) Penguin star Mario Lemieux, who's still recovering from Hodgkins disease, will miss only half a season.

4) Fighting and penalty minutes will almost certainly be down.

5) For the first season in memory, every team media guide was delivered on time.

6) With any luck Bob Goodenow and Gary Bettman will be too exhausted to speak or show their faces for months.

7) The entry draft in Winnipeg will be pushed back from June to later in the summer, so anyone attending won't have to bring snowshoes.

8) Fans on hand for any playoff games at Madison Square Garden won't have to endure the smell of Barnum & Bailey's elephants because the circus will be gone by the end of April.